http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbe ... mID=124935

Samples are from the songs 'Smoking Ruins' (1:11) and Twilight Tavern (3:00).

After the disappointing Victory Songs this sounds like a real return to form.

Twilight tavern sounds like a lot of fun. Also the cover art certainly matches it's predecessors. It's fantastic. I'll be definitely going to the Scottish date when they tour (with Metsatoll too!)

I quite enjoy the samples! These guys always seem to pump out something good.

Is the cover by Necrolord again? Sure looks like it.

Wrong. Victory Songs was fantastic and this sounds like a continuation of such awesomeness. Looking forward to the album.

Yes it is. All of their album covers are by him I think.

Psh, Victory Songs was great. Looking forward to this new one.

Can't wait till the new album. The samples sound like it will be a good one.

Awesome. Sounds just as bit as good as "Iron" so far.

I prefer Ensiferum and Iron before Victory Songs, good album nonetheless. I hope for more songs like The Wanderer and Victory Songs though, love them. I like both clips, hopefully the album will be as good. I think I'm gonna give Victory Songs another spin now...

I liked Victory Songs a lot. I like the added aggression that the band seemed to take on after Jari left, but "The Wanderer" was a great song right in the middle of all that craziness. I also think that Markus is a better clean vocalist than Jari.

I like these samples.

Agreed 100%. These sound like they could be recordings from the Victory Songs sessions. Twilight Tavern has an "Iron" feel to it, which is the only album of theirs I didn't like much.

Agreed as well. This may have a slight edge over Victory Songs from the samples I've heard, but that album is still kickass.

Victory Songs was excellent, though I must say that the second half of the CD was much stronger than the first half.

Definitely liking what I hear here. I loved Victory Songs, and virtually everything Ensiferum has done now that I think about it, so I doubt I'll be disappointed, as this doesn't sound too horribly different.

intensely average

Sweet, hopefully we'll get the new album very soon. I really did enjoy Victory Songs so I'm looking forward to this.

Victory Songs was a big disappointment for me, but these samples sound really good, now I'm really looking forward for it.

I concur, good sir. Victory Songs was fucking brilliant. I simply do not understand all of the hate toward it. Either way, this new record really sounds like it will tickle my fancy, so I am looking forward to it, needless to say.

I couldn't agree more. Hopefully the new album will measure up to its predecessors.

Wasn't disappointed with Victory Songs, particularly the song of the same name, and again I'm sure I won't be disappointed with this.

Sounds good, I went to see their online shops for pre-orders and whatnot, the prices are fucking brutal! 17 euros for the standard jewelcase? NOT including shipping? I'd like the digi (1 euro more) with the beer bag thing, but it's over 30 euros... fuck that's insane.

I can't listen to these samples right now, gah! I'm on an ancient computer in Ireland, but when I get back home I look forward to getting back into the loop with regards to metal. Well, I've been at Wacken and hanging out in Elm Street pub with Nattefrost and Maniac for the past few days, so I guess that's pretty metal. Anyway, I'm looking forward to this new Ensiferum album. If the song lengths are correct, then it'll be interesting to hear the longer, epic ones.

Also, if you guys hadn't heard, Ensiferum filmed a video for the title track, which should be released shortly.

Ensiferum is awesome, Victory Songs was awesome, and these new songs are awesome.

Holy fuck Twilight Tavern is cheesy. The other one was decent but too short to really say much. I'll probably check the album out regardless, I thought Victory Songs was much better than Iron.

this rocks, have to go ensiferum show!

More samples:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NVwMTFrL-o

Completely. Doesn't move me the slightest.

Agreed. Is it just me, or does "Twilight Tavern" sound the same as "Little Dreamer (Väinämöinen Part II)"? Anyway, I'll still check this out when it comes out, the samples aren't really doing it for me though.

"From Afar" full song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcsAyFEGwno

Sounds good.

Hot damn! The two clips available thus far were great. I will load this up on my phone (this computer doesn't allow YouTube clips... work machine). I have really high hopes for this album as I really enjoy all Ensiferum's past work.

Pretty decent but nothing I'd get excited over. Solid 3/5 or 3.5/5 material at best really.

Pretty decent Ensiferum song. Isn't it the lead single, though? It's no Tale of Revenge or Token of Time.

At least they're not selling out like a lot of Finnish bands. This new album seems like it will be quite similar to the last three, which is a good thing.

Songs are great and everything, but who the hell came up with the idea of putting up 60 Mb images and deem them downloadable. I best be able to watch Emmi's tits like I'm really there or something.

And here's a sample for "The Longest Journey"

http://www.ensiferum.com/Downloads/09%2 ... Sample.mp3

If fans dig the style you are doing, why change? Well unless you want more fans but that would fall under "selling out"... more fans equals more money, blah blah blah.

Iron has a lot of great songs and melodies. I think Victory Songs expanded on that and added more of a folk flavor to already folk styled metal. Far Away will probably continue where Victory Songs left off. Metal with a good dose of folk style and Kalevala inspired lyrics.

What Finnish bands have sold out anyway? Nightwish got more mainstream, but their last album was decent and probably the most tolerable I've heard from them overall. Twilightning sold out, but that was expected anyway. Stratovarius are back on track and Sonata Arctica only got less commercial.

Twilight Tavern's up too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGutnhxF ... re=related

Album seems to be a bit more epic/complex than Victory Songs, which is fine by me. While I don't worship the band like a did when I first heard it a year and a half ago, they're still pretty solid and I'm definitely looking forward to this.

The clean choruses don't seem to be quite as strong as VS, though.

I think Nightwish is more mainstream because Tuomas is getting better at writing songs so they flow better and the melodies are drawing more attention.

Alexi from Children of Bodom said he enjoys writing catchy songs more than interesting music such as Hatebreeder. I am sure he loves the attention too.

Sonata Arctica has indeed gone in the opposite direction, we'll see if that trend continues this fall.

Kalmah is continuing to do their thing though it seems to keep them out of any spot light.

I think Ensiferum is getting more and more popular while keeping their style the same only because the genre is getting more popular.